I am ashamed of my HIV. What can I do?
Know that you are certainly not alone, many people with HIV experience shame. This is often due to prejudice and misunderstandings about HIV. It is not always easy, but you can learn to deal better with these feelings.
First, think about what exactly this shame does to you. Are there things in your life that you would like to do, but don't dare to because of this shame? Perhaps you avoid certain situations or people because of this shame. Sometimes shame can even be a way of protecting yourself from negative reactions by others. Try to figure out why you feel ashamed and what effect this has on your life. If you want to work on feeling less ashamed, talking to someone you trust can be a good first step.
There are also various workshops available where you can learn how to reduce your feelings of shame together with others. Take a look at the Positive Living series by the Hiv Vereniging, for example.
The Hiv Vereniging can also put you on to a peer counsellor you can talk to at ShivA or MARA. Peer counsellors are people who have HIV themselves and can support you because they know from their own experience what it is like to deal with shame.
It may also help to talk to your specialist HIV nurse. The more aware you are of your feelings, the easier it gets to deal with them and come to terms with them.